Thousands bid farewell to Gregg Allman

Thousands of fans, and dozens of family and friends gathered in Macon Saturday afternoon to bid a final farewell to southern rock legend Gregg Allman.

Beginning at 6 a.m., fans began lining the roads from Snow’s Memorial Chapel to Rose Hill Cemetery – the final resting place of both Gregg and Duane Allman.

Some of the fans drove from as far as the south side of Chicago to say goodbye.

“I decided early in the week when I knew the funeral arrangements were made and that we could make a presence here without disturbing the family…I hit the road right from work. It was 1:07 p.m. when I pulled out of Chicago, I pulled into Macon at 4 a.m. with the time change,” said Kathleen Acuri.

Acuri was just one of the thousands of people with an emotional connection to the band’s lyrics.

After a half-hour funeral service at Snow’s, the waiting came to a close.

Allman was escorted into Rose Hill where a brief burial service took place. Fans were able to see the service from the hillside.

Tears will quickly turn into a celebration of his life later this evening at a private event at the Big House Museum on Vineville Avenue.

While fans are not allowed to enter the party, some of them deemed the closed section of Vineville to be a street party.

The folks at the Big House say it is not an officially sanctioned event, but fans will be able to hear the music and can party in the street since it is blocked off.

Be sure to tune in tonight at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. for more coverage of Allman’s funeral.